Apparatus for feeding cigarettes and other articles of similar shape



J. w. CHALMERS ETAL 2,239,589

ES OF SIMILAR suns Aprii 22, 1

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICL Filed Jan. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1941- J. w. cHALMERS ETAL 2,239,589

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF SIMILAR SHAPE Filed Jan. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fla 2% Patented Apr. 22, 1941 APPARATUS ron "FEEDING CIGARETTES THEE ARTICLES" OF SHVIILAR SHAPE John Walker Chalmers and Arthur Alfred Foale, 'Dep'tford; London", England,'assignors to'Molins Machine Company, Limited; London, England Application'January' 27, 1937,--Serial No. 122,672

' In Great Britain February 6, 1936 16 Claims.

- This'inv'entionis' for improvements in or relating to apparatus forfeedingcigarettes and other articles of'simil'ar shape and refers to ap- 'paratus of the type in which the articles, (for example, cigarettes) are" contained in a hopper having an outlet through which the ar'ticlespass between spacesprovided'between partitions. Apparatus of 'thistyp'e willb'e' referred to' in the appended descriptio'nla's apparatus of the type described.

=According to oneform'of the'invention there is provided apparatus of" the" type described wherein th'e'articl'es 'in'the hopper'move down an inclinedguide'or guides to' the Outlet, the inclinationof the said guide 'origuidesbeing less steep near the outlet (for eirampla' curved so that the lower'porti'on 'of the guides are practically horizontal) to retard the'fs'peed of'the articles, and meansi'operable" at intervals alternately to impede and'releas'e respectively the articles.

According to a 'furth'er' 'form of the invention there is providedapp'aratus of the" type described wherein'meansdispos'ed i'n-the path'of the articles is arranged justfprior to the articles passing through the outlet of the-hopper t'o alig'n'the articles so that thelohg'i tudinal axes of the articlesare substantially parallel with the faces of the partitions between which the' articles are to pass.

"According tea-ruaherrorm of the invention there is provided apparatus-6f the type described wherein the articles are moved towards the outlet from are opposite sides of the hopper, the articles from the two'sides being moved towards the outlet at different levels whereby articles from one side are delivered to articles on the other side of the hopper.

According to a still' further form. of the invention-there-is provided app'aratus of the type described wherein the height of the tops of the partitions varies from one side of the-outlet to the oppositeside thereof; whereby the tops of the lower partitions vare disposed at the bottom of pockets formed 'b'etwe'en the higher partitions for the purpose of facilitating the passage of the articles between the partitions. 4

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is ancend elevation of apart of a cigarette packing machine and shows mechanism 'for feeding cigarettes into the path of a conveyor.

Figure 2'is a side'elevation'of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a partof Figure 1 withsome of the elements in positions different from the positions shown in Figure 1. I Like-references refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings. t

For the purpose of describing; the invention, the invention is applied to'a cigarette packing machine, vbut it is to be understood that where herein the term cigarette is used, it is not used in a limiting sense and otherarticlesof similar shape may be usedwith apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring; to the drawings, cigarettes are contained in a hopper 4, the hopper being'disposed above the bed 5 of a cigarette packing inachine. An outlet 6 is provided in the bottom of the hopper and'the' cigarettes pass through the outlet 6 towards partitions 1 betWeeIr-Which-thecigarettes pass towards the bed 5 of the machine.

- -Beneath the partitions a succession of pusher pieces 8 carried by an endless, continuously moving conveyor chain38; are arranged topass over thebed 5 of the machine; the pusher; pieces being providedwithslots 9; see'Figure '3, so as to pass between the partitionsl; eachpusher piece 8 in turnremoving apredetermined number of cigarettes from between'thepartitions. The partitions-are arranged so that the-cigarettes containedin the spaces between the partitions have theirlongitndinal aXes disposed in the direction of movement of thepusher pieces. I I V The cigarettes in the hopper 4 move down inclined guides H) and 1 I, and from Figure 1 it will be seen that the inclination ofthe guides is less steep near the outlet fi, the end portions of the guides being curved so that the lower portions of the guides are practically horizontal. By this arrangement the speed of the articles moving .down the guides towardsthe outlet 6 is retarded as the cigarettes are delivered to the opening.-

Above the partitions l and disposed within the hopper; members l2 and 13 are arranged to cooperatewith the guides l9 and ll and are operable atintervals to impede and release respectively the cigarettes passing down the guides IE] and I l As shown in the drawings, the members l2 and 13 are secured to a V-plate M which is pivoted at IS. The members [2 and I 3, together with the guides l fl andll formpassa'ges through which the articles move towards the outlet of the hopper. e

It will be seen that the members 12 and 13 are shaped so that each of the passages con verges towards the outlet of the hopper. The members l Zand l3 are oscillated about the pivot 15 by an eccentric it which co-operates'with a slot I I in a block I8 secured to the V-shaped plate I4. The members I2 and I3 are arranged so that the path through which they move is concentric with the curved portions of the guides I and II. The surfaces of the members I2 and I3 which co-operate with the guides I0 and II respectively converge towards the guides I0 and H; it will, therefore, be appreciated that, as a member I2 or I3 moves away from the opening iii, the distance between that member and the guide which co-operates therewith will be increased so that the passage formed between that member and guide is opened and the cigarettes in the passage are released so that they may move more easily towards the outlet 6. The arrangement is such that whilst the cigarettes in the passage formed between the member I2 and its co-operating guide I0 are being released the progress of the cigarettes between the member l3 and its co-operating guide I I is being impeded.

A substantially inverted V-shaped shroud I9 is arranged above the members I2 and I3 and supports the bulk of the cigarettes in the hopper 4 so as to reduce the pressure of the cigarettes in the passages. The shroud I9 is stationary but is provided with additional supporting surfaces shown as movable extensions and 2|, such extensions being pivoted to the shroud at 22 and 23 respectively and controlled by fiat springs 24 and 25. The extensions 20 and 2| are arranged still further to relieve the pressure on the cigarettes in the passages when the members I2 and I3 are operated to release the cigarettes in the passages.

As will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawings, the extensions 20 and 2I are provided with tail pieces which protrude through slots in the members I2 and I3 so that in effect these tail pieces form a continuation of the passages. As a member I2 or I3 is moved to release the cigarettes in a passage, a projection 26 carried by the member I2 or I3 engages with the extension 20 or 2| and rotates such extension about its pivot so that the extension is moved away from the outlet 6 and beyond that face of the shroud I9 which supports the cigarettes in the hopper, thereby still further relieving the pressure of .the cigarettes in such passage. The extensions 20 and 2I are movable in synchronism with the members I2 and I3 respectively, and as shown in the drawings, the extensions are movable in response to the movement of the members l2 and I3.

In order that the cigarettes shall pass freely between the partitions I, it is desirable that the longitudinal axes of the cigarettes are substantially parallel with the faces of the partitions between which the cigarettes are to pass, and to improvethe arrangement of the cigarettes and the better to align the cigarettes so that their longitudinal axes are substantially parallel with the faces of the partitions 1, some at least of the cigarettes which pass fro-m thepassages towards the opening 6 are arrestedby an element 21 and are aligned thereby whilst the remaining cigarettes tend to assume the correct position by contact with those cigarettes which are aligned by the element 21. As shown in Figure 1, the element 2! is secured to the block I8 and is movable therewith gently to agitate the cigarettes above path of the cigarettes moving towards the outlet, the cigarettes moving down the guide towards the outlet being arrested by the projecting partition and aligned by the face thereof.

In practice it is sometimes found that when cigarettes are delivered from opposite sides of a hopper the cigarettes from the opposite sides become jammed in a manner such that the free passage of the cigarettes through the outlet towards the partitions is interrupted. For the purpose of reducing this tendency the lower or end portions of the guides I0 and I I over which the cigarettes pass immediately before passing to the outlet are so arranged that the guide II is at a higher level than the guide I0 and since as stated above the ends of the guides are practically horizontal, it will be appreciated that the ends of the guides are in substantially parallel planes.

The partitions l are arranged so that each alternate partition is fixed, whereas, the remaining partitions are movable into and out of the outlet 6 and intersect a line representing the shortest distance between the opposed ends of the guides ID and II. Movement is imparted to the partitions by a cam 28 which co-operates with a cam follower 29, secured to a carriage 3D .to which the movable partitions are connected, the carriage 33 being slidable on guides 3|.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the top edges of the movable partitions are arranged so as always to lie in a plane different from and above the plane of the top edges of the fixed partitions so that a pocket is formed between adjacent movable partitions and the fixed partitions are arranged in the bottoms of such pockets. When the movable partitions are moved upwardly, as shown in chain line in Figure 3, the dimensions of the pockets are increased, and it will be seen that each pocket is arranged to contain a small number of cigarettes, for example, two or four. By sub-dividing the cigarettes into small quantities such as these, the passage of the cigarettes between the partitions is facilitated.

As will be seen from Figure 3, one of the movable partitions is provided with a top edge of increased thiclmess as indicated at 32, the purpose of this increased thickness being to reduce the distance between adjacent movable partitions so that should the distance between the adjacent movable partitions be such as normally to permit two cigarettes to pass therebetween, three badly shaped cigarettes will be prevented from passing between the partitions and becom ing jammed therebetween.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, guide means associated with said hopper for supporting said articles and di recting the same toward said outlet, said guide means being downwardly inclined toward said outlet, the inclination of said guide means being less steep at points adjacent said outlet than at points more remote therefrom, whereby the rate of movement of said articles is retarded as the latter approach said outlet, and means movable into andout of the path of movement of said articles as the latter leave said guide means to establish a substantially parallel relation of the longitudinal axes of said articles, said lastnamed means being located at a distance from the discharge end of said guide means which is lessthan' the: smallest across+sectional dimensiono-fian article. i

'1 feeding apparatus ifort'e'longated :articles, the bombinationwith a hopper receiving the articles; said ihopper having an outlet-in the'lower: portion thereof, guide means: associated with said hopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said voutleti-is'ai'd' guide meansi bein'g downwardly' inclined toward said outlet; the inclination 'of' said guide'ameans being l'ess steepat points adjacent said 'outl'et than at points more remote therefrom, whereby the rate of movement of i said 1 articles" is retarded as the latter approach said outlet, and -means movable into and out of the-path o-fimoveinentl of :said articles as theJatter leave said'guide-means to establish a substantially parallel relation of the longitudinal axes of said'articles; said last named means including one-of a- 'plurality -of partitions disposed below" said outlet, said partitions having oppose'd faces extending generally f parallel to the-"length or said articlesas the latter emerge fromsaid-outlet, such partition -being located at adistance from the: discharge en'd Of'ISaid guide means; -which' distance is less" than the smallest cross-sectional'-dimension of an article.

3. I-n feeding- -apparatus for elongated articles, the combinati-o-nwith a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper havin'g an outlet in the low er portion thereof; partitions disposed: below said outlet, said partitions having opposed faces extending generally parallel to the leng'th ofsaid article's as the latter emerge from said I outlet, the upper? edges of adjacent partitions being disposed at different levels,whereby passage of the L.

"articles therebetween is facilitated; guide means associated with said hopper for supporting said articles-anddirecting the same toward-said outlet; said gui'de-means being downwardly-inclined toward said outlet, the inclination'of said guide means bei-ng less steep atpoint's'" adjacent. said outlet than at pointsmore -remOte' therefrOm, whereby the rate'of movement of said' articles is retarded as the latter 'approach'said outlet, one of said partitions being located at a distance from the discharge end of said 'guidemeans and movable into and out of the path of movement of said articles as the latter leavesaid g-uidemeans to 3 establish a substantially parallel relation of the longitudinal axes of said articles; the dis tance by which said part'itionis' 'rem'o-ve'd "from the-discharge end 'of'said guide means-'bei'ng less than the smallest cross-sectional dimension of an article.

4. In feeding apparatus for 'elongated articles, the combination with a hopper-receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, partitions disposed below said outlet,said partitions having opposed faces'extending generally parallel to the length of said articles as the latter emerge from 'said outlet, means for reciprocating certain :of said 'partitions in the direction 'ofthe iac'es thereof toward andawayfrom: said outlet, guide means associated with said hopper for'supporting said articles and directing the same toward said outlet, said guide-means being downwardly-inclined toward said outlet, the inclination of said guide means being less steep at points adjacent: said outlet than at points more remotetherefrom, whereby the rate of movement of sai'd'articles is retarded as the latter approachsaid-"outlet, one of said partitions being located at a distance from the discharge end of said guide means and movable intoand out of the-path of movement of'isaid articles as the latter leaviezr said; guide means to establish a-substantially-parallel relation of the longitudinalraxes of said articles, the distance by' which saidp'artition isremoved from the discharge endfof said guide. meansbeing less than the smallestcross sectional dimension of an: article.

:5.. In feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with: a. hopper receivingthe .articles,: saidhopper-having an outlet in the lowerportion thereof, guide means associated. with said rhopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said'outlet, said'guide means being downwardlyiinclined 'towardrsaid outlet; the inclinationzof said guide meansbeing less'xsteep at. points adjacent said outlet than at: points more remote therefrom, whereby the rate' of" movement of said articles is retarded as the latter approach said out1et,'m-eansmovable into and out of the path of movement'of said articles as the latter leave said guide means to establish a; substantially parallel relationfof the long itudinal'axes of said articles,lsaid last-named meansPbei-ng located at-andistance from the discharge end of said guide'means'which is less' than the "smallestfcross-sectional dimension of an article, and meansdisposedTabove said guide means and movable over the-latter .to facilitate move-'- ment of the articles toward said outlet;

6. In "feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a' hopper receiving the articles",'said hopper *having an outlet in the lowerv portion thereof, partitions disposed below said outlet, said partitions having opposed: faces extending generally 'parallel tothe length of said articles as the latter emerge'from said outlet,

guide :means associated with said-hopper and articles, said hopper having an outlet in the low- 7 er lportion thereof; guide means "associated with said-hopper for supporting saidarticle's and directing the same toward said outlet; a stationary surface-disposed within the hopper and cooperating with said guide means to support th'e'bulk of the articles inthehopper and to form-a re stricted throat through-which the articles pass in moving toward, said outlet; and a member'so formed and positioned as .to afford a :continuation of said stationary surface said member being supported for movement in 'a direction generally normal 'to such stationary surface anduaway'from said outlet "to minimize jamming'ofarticles in the throat.

8. r In feedingapparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in'the lower portion thereof, guide: means associatedwith said hopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said outletga' stationary surface. disposed within the. hopp-erand cooperating:-with:said guide means to support the bulk of the articles in the hopper andto form a restricted throat through whichlthe =articlesipass in vmoving toward said outlet, means for agitating the articles passing through such throat, said last named means including a member disposed above and movable over the said guide means toward and away from said outlet, and a member so formed and positioned as to afford a continuation of said stationary surface, said last named member being supported for movement in a direction generally normal to such stationary surface and away from said outlet to minimize jamming of articles in the throat.

9. In feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, guide means associated with said hopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said outlet, a stationary surface disposed within the hopper and cooperating with said guide means to support the bulk of the articles in the hopper and to form a restricted throat through which the articles pass in moving toward said outlet, means for agitating the articles passing through such throat, said last named means including a member dis posed above and movable over the said guide means toward and away from said outlet, and a member so formed and positioned as to afford a continuation of said stationary surface, said last named member being supported for movement in a direction generally normal to such stationary surface and away from said outlet to minimize jamming of articles in the throat and being actuated in response to movement of said first named member.

10. In feeding apparatus for cigarettes, the combination with a hopper receiving the cigarettes, said hopper being formed to provide in the lower portion thereof an inclined wall terminating adjacent an outlet, a stationary sup port disposed within said hopper, said support presenting an inclined surface, said Wall and surface converging downwardly and having the adjacent portions thereof spaced to afford a throat, whereby the bulk of the cigarettes above said wall and surface are supported thereby, and means movable into and out of the plane of said inclined surface to facilitate passage of cigarettes through said throat, said means including a member constructed and arranged to afford a passage for cigarettes intermediate said throat and said outlet.

11. In feeding apparatus for cigarettes, the combination with a hopper receiving the cigarettes, said hopper being formed to provide in the lower portion thereof an inclined wall terminating adjacent an outlet, a stationary supi port disposed within said hopper, said support presenting an inclined surface, said wall and surfaceconverging downwardly and having the adjacent portions thereof spaced to afford a throat, whereby the bull: of the cigarettes above said wall and surface are supported thereby, and means movable into and out of the plane of said inclined surface to facilitate passage of cigarettes through said throat, said means including a member constructed and arranged to afford a passage for cigarettes intermediate said throat and said outlet converging toward the latter.

12. In feeding apparatus for cigarettes, the combination with a hopper receiving the cigarettes, said hopper being formed to provide in the lower portion thereof an inclined wall terminating adjacent an outlet, a stationary support disposed within said hopper, said support presenting an inclined surface, said wall and surface converging downwardly and having the adjacent portions thereof spaced to afford a throat, whereby the bulk of the cigarettes above said wall and surface are supported thereby, means movable into and out of the plane of said inclined surface to facilitate passage of cigarettes through said throat, said means including a member'constructed and arranged to afford a passage for cigarettes intermediate said throat and said outlet, and mechanism for reciprocating said member substantially in the'direction in which the cigarettes move in passing between said throat and said outlet.

13. In feeding apparatus for cigarettes, the combination with a hopper receiving the cigarettes, said hopper being formed to provide in the lower portion thereof an inclined wall terminating adjacent an outlet, a stationary support disposed within said hopper, said support presenting an inclined surface, said wall and surface converging downwardly and having the adjacent portions thereof spaced to afford a throat, whereby the bulk of the cigarettes above said wall and surface are supported thereby, means movable into and out of the planeof said inclined surface to facilitate passage of cigarettes through said throat, said means including a member constructed and arranged to afford a passage for cigarettes between said throat and said outlet and an element supported above said outlet for engaging and moving the cigarettes to agitate the same.

14.. In feeding apparatus for cigarettes, the combination with a hopper receiving the cigarettes, said hopper being formed to provide in the lower portion thereof an inclined wall terminating adjacent an outlet, a stationary support disposed within said hopper, said support presenting an inclined surface, said wall and sur face converging downwardly and having the adjacent portions thereof spaced to afford a throat, whereby the bulk of the cigarettes above said wall and surface are supported thereby, means movable into and out of the plane of said inclined surface to facilitate passage of cigarettes through said throat, said means including a member constructed and arranged to afford a passage for cigarettes between said throat and said outlet, an element supported above said outlet for engaging and moving the cigarettes to agitate the same, and mechanism for moving said means and said element in timed relation.

115. In feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, means associated with said hopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said outlet, said means affording two inclined stationary surfaces converging toward said outlet, said surfaces being so disposed as to support the bulk of the articles in the hopper and to form a restricted throat through which the articles pass in moving .toward said outlet, and means for agitating the articles passing through such throat, said last named means including a smooth surfaced member disposed above and movable over one only of the said surfaces toward and away from said outlet, said smooth surfaced member being mounted for a bodily reciprocatory movement in the direction of flow of the articles passing through the throat.

16. In feeding apparatus for elongated articles, the combination with a hopper receiving the articles, said hopper having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, guide means associated with said hopper for supporting said articles and directing the same toward said outlet, said guide means being down'wardly inclined toward said outlet, and means movable into and out of the path of movement of said articles as the latter leave said guide means to establish a substantially parallel relation of the longitudinal axes of said articles, said last named means being located at a distance from the discharge end of said guide means which is less than the smallest cross-sectional dimension of an article, and means disposed above said guide means and movable over the latter to facilitate movement of. the articles toward said outlet.

JOHN WALKER CHALMERS.

ARTHUR ALFRED FOALE. 

